Monday, August 2, 2010

My Grandfather's Clock By Ken Hirai

Today I would like to share with you guys a song that I like a lot since my university years-My Grandfather's Clock. I understand that My Grandfather's Clock is actually a nursery rhymes written by Henry Clay in 1876 (Wow...that's like 124 years ago). How come I have never listened to this song while I was young? Actually the version that first touched me was Ken Hirai's Cover of My Grandfather's Clock (Ooki na Furudokei)「大きな古時計」. My friend introduced this beautiful song to me back in university.

The Original Grandfather's Clock by Henry Clay.

If you have followed me since my very first post, you would have known that Ken Hirai is one of my favourite singer from the Land of Rising Sun. This Japanese Version of My Grandfather's Clock is his best-selling song back in 2002. Not much was expected from this song...but it turned out to be a household song. Amazing. The MTV itself looks blatantly...simple and effortless. All Ken Hirai did was grabbed a bottle of mineral water and slumped on the chair. And yet Ken Hirai managed to make it one of the most popular version of My Grandfather's Clock.

The handsome Ken Hirai andhis clock! :D

I believe Ken Hirai's high-pitch, dulcet voice make this version of My Grandfather's Clock so lovable. Don't you have that dreamy feeling while listening to this song? I do and am sure you will find his other songs equally mesmerizing. Don't take my words for it. Search for him on youtube and tell me what do you think about his other songs. :) Now let's listen to this song shall we?

My grandfather's clock
Was too large for the shelf,
So it stood ninety years on the floor;
It was taller by half
Than the old man himself,
Though it weighed not a pennyweight more.
It was bought on the morn
Of the day that he was born,
And was always his treasure and pride;
But it stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

CHORUS:
Ninety years without slumbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
His life seconds numbering,
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
It stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

In watching its pendulum
Swing to and fro,
Many hours had he spent while a boy;
And in childhood and manhood
The clock seemed to know,
And to share both his grief and his joy.
For it struck twenty-four
When he entered at the door,
With a blooming and beautiful bride;
But it stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

CHORUS

My grandfather said
That of those he could hire,
Not a servant so faithful he found;
For it wasted no time,
And had but one desire,
At the close of each week to be wound.
And it kept in its place,
Not a frown upon its face,
And its hand never hung by its side.
But it stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

CHORUS

It rang an alarm
In the dead of the night,
An alarm that for years had been dumb;
And we knew that his spirit
Was pluming his flight,
That his hour of departure had come.
Still the clock kept the time,
With a soft and muffled chime,
As we silently stood by his side.
But it stopped short
Never to go again,
When the old man died.

CHORUS

That's all from me folks. But before I go...wanna know why I wanna share with you guys this song today? A~ha! It is because I actually sang a song for my darling Jordan earlier just now with My Grandfather's Clock melody as the background music. Hmm....perhaps I should record it and show it to all of you right? LOL :D Anyway I hope you enjoy Ken Hirai's My Grandfather's Clock.